I am not arguing in favor of government health care, but some of your points aren't really valid since they already exist under the current system if you replace the word "government" with "insurance company."
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Originally Posted by myrdale
The government will ration health care.
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Most insurance plans have some type of prior authorization system in place. If I want to order a CT scan or MRI on my patient, I need to call the insurance company and justify my reasons. If the company says no, the patient doesn't get the test - period. That's rationing.
That said, I think rationing is necessary. We can't provide endless care to every patient regardless of cost and expect to have a sustainable system.
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What will happen with your private records.
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Your records aren't private now. Your insurance company has access to them anytime. If you are on Medicare, that insurance company is the US Government.
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The government will decide what a procedure will cost.
If I need a filling in a tooth, the dentist will charge $150. It does not matter that my insurance will only pay $90. If I want Dr Choate to do this filling, I will have to pony up the $60 difference.
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Insurance companies have done this forever. They have a fee schedule. If a doctor wants to accept the insurance plan, he must agree to honor the fee schedule. So if Dr. Choate wants to participate in the USA Dental plan, he would be obligated to accept $90 for that filling. If he wants to charge $150, he would have to open a cash-only practice and not accept the government plan.
I have dental insurance now through Blue Cross and that's how it works. My dentist accepts whatever BC pays even though it is less than he would normally charge. When he agreed to participate in my insurance plan, he agreed to accept their fee schedule.